| Talamancan yellow-shouldered bat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Phyllostomidae |
| Genus: | Sturnira |
| Species: | S. mordax |
| Binomial name | |
| Sturnira mordax Goodwin, 1938 | |
 | |
The Talamancan yellow-shouldered bat (Sturnira mordax) is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found only in Costa Rica and Panama, and there are no subspecies.
The bat is relatively small, with adults measuring only 6 cm (2.4 in) in head-body length, and weighing between 20 and 28 g (0.7 and 1 oz). Males are larger than females. It is very similar in appearance to the closely related highland yellow-shouldered bat, but with a more uniform dark colour, a longer, narrower, head, and larger canine teeth. The forearm has a thick coating of fur for about a third of its length, whereas there is only sparse hair on the hind feet. Other distinctive features include a notch at the tip of the tragus, and the presence of two points on each of the upper middle incisors. [2] It has a relatively simple nose-leaf, and short, pointed ears, and does not have a tail. [3]
Little is known of the bat's biology, although it is believed to breed throughout the year. [2]
First described by George Goodwin in 1938, the Talamancan yellow-shouldered bat was initially known only from Costa Rica. [3] In the 1980s, it was also discovered to inhabit Panama, but reports that it is also found in Colombia and Ecuador have since been disputed. [2]
It inhabits damp tropical forests at elevations of up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft), where it feeds on fruits such as those of Cecropia , Anthurium , Centropogon , and Musa . [2] Although formerly also found at lower elevations, recent changes in the local climate mean that it is now uncommon below about 1,250 m (4,100 ft). [4]
